Скачать или смотреть Major Cultural Practices of the Ndebele tribe of South Africa

The Ndebele tribe mainly comprises the Bantu-speaking African people who live in the Limpopo and Mpumalanga provinces in South Africa. They originate from the main Nguni-speaking peoples who migrated to the Transvaal region in the 17th century. At that time, they resided in hamlets and practiced animal husbandry and the cultivation of crops for survival. They cultivated maize, beans, sweet potatoes, millet, among others. The Ndebele women were skilled at art: they created elaborate beadwork of various kinds, and painted the walls of their homes with brightly colored geometric designs. Urbanization is beginning to change the patterns of the Ndebele people, as a number of men have left agriculture to work in mines and do other jobs in neighboring towns. These people have three significant stages in their marriages. First is the labola which is the bride price paid in installments. This is paid with money and livestock.The second stage of the Ndebele wedding is the two-week isolation of the bride. This is a time for her to learn from other women who are experienced wives and mothers. They teach her to be a good wife, according to the Ndebele tradition. The third stage comes later when the bride has her first child. Before the wedding at all, the man sends a letter to the family of the lady he is interested in. This letter is basically to request a date for the bride price negotiation. He then buys a sheep, some blankets, a few clothes, and a broom for the family of his desired bride. He goes with his parents on the agreed date for the bride price payment, taking the items along.